Paw & Order
by Crimson Flame-Blue Rose
Summary: While taking a break in the park after work, Stefan encounters a unique little dog that soon proves to be both an amusing and vital addition to his life and the police force. Dog-tective Cole AU.


Stefan sighed as he breathed in the fresh air, grateful to have some peace and quiet despite how the balls of

his feet screamed at him from all the walking he did at work.

The day had been grueling and unforgiving, not to mention exhausting…

Normally, he would stop by the café near his place and grab a sandwich and a few drinks before falling into

bed. But, today, he had gotten off work while the sky was a pleasant, smoldering orange hue rather than the

deep dark void like most nights. That was a welcomed change of pace, he hated going home in the dark.

He was tired, and hungry; so much so that he didn't think that he'd make it back to his apartment if he

didn't eat something to tie him over. So, he had pulled off of the road and decided to take a rest at

MacArthur Park and enjoy a hotdog.

The hotdog stand had yet to disappoint him.

Stefan licked his lips of ketchup and mustard from the meal in his hand, his eyes settling on a bench that

overlooked the pond. Well, it was a place to sit so he couldn't complain.

He gritted his teeth and hissed painfully as he sat down, his grimace disappearing only after his back made

contact with the smooth wooden back of the seat, "If this is how it feels getting older I hope I'll be put out

of my misery before then," he spoke aloud, rolling his head from side to side until he felt his neck pop and

release some of the tension in his muscles.

Of course, he was exaggerating, but who could blame him?

Being a traffic detective wasn't as thrilling as the papers – or the pulps, for that matter – made it out to be.

For the most part, he wrote tickets and investigated stolen cars…or begrudgingly scratched away at

paperwork. It wasn't hard to become bored at the job, but it also meant that he had become familiar and

comfortable with the work; but that also meant he was hard to press for grasping the ambition needed to

move up in rank. He had four years under his belt, what was wrong with another three or five?

The homicide desk will always be there for him, when he was ready…

What the hell was he doing thinking about work while he was trying to relax?

He wasn't some forty year-old spinster that grasped at his years of service, he was still young!

He needed to get a girlfriend; when was the last time he had been with a woman, anyway?

…He couldn't even remember, now that's just pathetic.

Oh well, it'll happen when it happens.

A small sound broke him from his reverie; something that sort of sounded like a car brake.

A car braking near his feet?

Stefan looked down at the sidewalk, quirking an eyebrow curiously when he laid eyes on a small dog.

He couldn't be sure, but it looked to be a Jack Russell Terrier; it was so short it barely reached his knees if

he stood at full height. The dog's white fur was dirty from…well, dirt, and something else he couldn't put

his finger on. But, the darker patch on his back looked to be either a marking or a stain.

It really needed a bath that's for sure.

"Hey there, fella," Stefan called to the dog, leaning forward until his elbows rested on his knees as he

assessed the small animal, "Did you roll in someone's garden today?" he joked with a grin.

The dog whined at him again, blinking its big brown eyes at him pitifully.

"What?" he asked, the answer striking him when he looked at his half-eaten hotdog, "Oh, you're hungry,

huh?" he chuckled, "I don't blame you, I think these are the best in town," he replied as he broke off one

end of the meat and set it on the ground for the dog.

Stefan's heart nearly broke as he watched the dirty critter excitedly gobble up his offering, licking its

chops and sitting down on its haunches patiently.

He didn't feel right eating the remainder of his lunch in front of the dog, so he opted to just set down the

rest of it before rubbing his hands together to clean off the crumbs and sit back in his seat.

The dog wagged its little tail happily as it ate the rest of the hotdog, cleaning its lips before walking closer

and jumping up onto the bench to rest next to Stefan's thigh.

"There, that's better, huh?" he cooed, reaching down to scratch his newfound companion's ears, smiling

when his hand was licked appreciatively._ 'Friendly little guy…'_

Upon scratching along its neck, Stefan realized that there was no collar.

It was apparent now that either the dog was a stray or abandoned; he couldn't understand why, though,

since it was so approachable and optimistic.

All the attention he was giving had rendered the dog into a happy lump on the bench, on its back with…_his_,

Stefan soon discovered, legs in the air and wagging his tail as Stefan rubbed his belly.

His eyes fell on the clock face of his watch, surprised to discover that it was seven o'clock already.

"Damn," he cursed under his breath as his petting slowed to a halt.

It was going to get dark soon and he had to get home and rest up for work tomorrow.

He sighed as got up from the bench, grateful that his feet were beginning to feel better since he sat down;

looking forward to going to bed and feeling like a million bucks in the morning.

The dog rolled over and stood on his feet when Stefan stopped petting him, whining in protest when the

Pole began to take his leave.

"Don't do that…" Stefan pleaded, looking back at his lunch buddy that looked at him with those big eyes.

He couldn't just take him home, he worked all day; he couldn't take care of him.

But it was going to get dark, and Stefan hated the thought of the poor thing staying outside all alone.

Without food, without company…and what if it rained?

"Damn it," he muttered, relenting as he walked back to the bench and began to take the dog into his arms,

"Alright, alright, let's go," he murmured, snorting when the dog licked his chin in gratitude as he walked

towards his Buick in the parking lot.

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"Okay, we're home," Stefan murmured quietly as he stood in front of his apartment door in the hallway,

slipping his key into the lock and turning it before swinging the door open.

Once he stepped inside and closed the door, he set the dog down, grunting as it squirmed excitedly under

his arm, "Easy, easy!" he chastised him, sighing in relief as the dog began to explore the apartment, his

nails clicking on the wooden floor. Stefan set the paper bag down on the floor and began rifling through it,

removing a food and water dish, a couple of brushes, some soap…

He grinned when his palm made contact with the fuzzy surface of a tennis ball, pulling it out of the bag,

"Here boy, want to play?" Stefan asked as he waved the ball in the air enticingly, chuckling when the dog

pricked up his ears and came bouncing back while panting and wagging his tail excitedly.

"I thought so," he mused before gently tossing the ball towards the dining room table, laughing when the

dog scrambled after the green sphere on his little legs. _'He might be little, but he's pretty fast…'_

Stefan hung up his fedora and plaid jacket on the coat rack by the door, "Good boy!" he cheered as the ball

was brought back to him, scratching the dog's floppy ears, "Go get it," he coaxed him as he rolled the ball

along the floor. Now that he thought about it, it might not have been the brightest idea to set a ball and a

dog loose in the apartment; but, nothing had been busted yet so he wasn't too worried at the moment.

After placing the dog dishes on the floor outside the kitchen, Stefan grabbed the bottle of soap and strolled

into his bathroom to start up the bath. Sitting on the edge of the tub, he turned the knobs before letting the

water run over his fingers to check the temperature; not too hot or too cold.

Stefan turned his attention to the doorway when he heard nails clicking on the floor, the little dog watching

him intently with his tennis ball still caught in his mouth.

"Ready for your bath, boy?" he smiled, turning the water off when it was about ankle-deep, removing his

green striped tie and setting it on top of the hamper before rolling up his white shirtsleeves.

"I gotta tell you, I'm not much of a dog groomer but I'll do my best," he admitted as he gently removed the

ball from the dog's mouth and set it aside before lifting him up and setting him down in the water.

"Oh!" he sputtered, "I forgot to grab the brush," he replied as he rolled his eyes and lightly jogged out of

the room to grab a scrub brush from the floor before racing into the kitchen to grab a coffee mug to use as a

makeshift water pitcher to rinse the soap off the dog's fur.

"Hey, hey, get back in there – what are you doing?" he chuckled as he returned to the bathroom, shutting

the door behind him before setting the items on the floor to grab the little critter and lift him off the edge of

the tub and back into the water. Stefan grabbed the mug and filled it with the warm bath water, slowly

pouring it over the dirt and grime that coated the Terrier's fur, combing his fingers through the strands to

help get the hair wet. Setting the cup down on the floor, he then grabbed the bottle of soap, uncapping it

and pouring a small amount into his palm before rubbing it into the dog's back, pouring more into his hand

to cover its belly before capping it and setting it aside as he scrubbed his fingers into the soft fur.

Stefan wondered when was the last time this dog got clean…he didn't smell very bad, so maybe he got

clean whenever he walked in the rain? It made some sense.

He smiled as the dog wagged his tail as he scrubbed him, "Feels good, huh?" he chuckled before grabbing

the brush, "Ugh, hey!" he complained when the Terrier gave a little shake, sending droplets of water and

soap at the Pole. Stefan spat and pursed his lips and turned his head away to keep water from getting inside,

wiping his mouth when the dog stopped. "You know, you might want to wait until we're done before you

do that," he muttered sarcastically before scrubbing the dog with the brush, cleaning his ears gently with his

fingertips. He whistled when he saw how dirty the water was getting, "Alright, let's rinse you off," he

murmured as he grabbed the mug and began to pour water over the dog, smiling when the clean white fur

underneath the suds was revealed to him.

"Hey, _no_…" he warned the dog as it tried to shake while he was still rinsing him off, "You can wait a bit,

we're almost finished," he spoke as he covered the Terrier's eyes and poured water over its head to keep

the soap out. Surprisingly, the dog's face had brown markings; his floppy ears were dark brown while his

eyes had a lighter shade of brown with a strip of white running down to his nose.

He almost looked like a raccoon…

"Okay, all done," he announced before unplugging the tub to let it drain before lifting the drenched dog out

and setting him on the floor. "Hm, probably should've let you stay in the tub after the water drained," he

mused as he eyed the puddle of water that began to form on the floor, "Well, lesson learned," he shrugged

as he grabbed a towel from the rack and bent down to dry the dog off.

"Feel better?" he asked as he rubbed the Terrier's back, sides and head, gently rubbing the beard-like tuft of

fur around the dog's mouth before moving to dry his legs.

The dog shied away from Stefan's towel enclosed hands when he tried to dry his legs, giving a sharp huff

through his nostrils and squirmed, "Okay, okay, I get it – sorry," he apologized, drying off his hands.

He wondered why the little fella didn't like having his legs touched…

There didn't appear to be any blood on his freshly cleaned fur, and he wasn't walking at a weird angle so

he didn't seem to have any cuts or sprains.

Stefan sputtered when the dog gave a good shake and sent any leftover water into his face, "Thanks a

lot…" he snorted as he wiped his face with his sleeve, "Now _I_ might need a shower."

After wiping up the puddle and tossing the towel into the hamper, Stefan walked back into the living room

to grab a brush and a red collar.

He still wasn't sure if he'd keep the dog, but at least the collar would let anyone know that he was being

cared for. His thumb brushed the smooth surface of the tag, frowning thoughtfully.

"Here, boy," he called as he patted his thigh to call the Terrier to him, "Good boy," he praised when the

dog bounded towards him, skidding to a stop before he took the brush to his fur.

"It might be a good idea to give you a name, at least," he thought aloud as he brushed the damp strands,

patting the dog's spotted back when its tail began to wag, "What would be a good one…?"

Spot? George? Rex?

Stefan realized that if he was going to pick a name, it would have to be one that he wouldn't mind shouting

in public in case the Terrier took off without him.

'Definitely not Fifi or Fido, ugh…'

Shep? Toby?

Eh, He'll have to think about it later.

"Well, for now, you can still wear this," he commented as he placed the collar around the Terrier's neck

and clicked it in place, scratching the dog's ears and patting his back before standing to his feet.

He wasn't sure if the dog was still hungry after eating that hotdog earlier, but he decided to fill the bowls

with water and dry food, just to be on the safe side.

Upon hearing the food clanging as it fell into the metal dish, the Terrier sidled up to the bowl and began to

devour his meal. "Alright, shower time," he sighed as he strolled back into the bathroom, looking forward

to getting cleaned up after bathing the little dog.

Stefan turned the water on and undressed as he waited for the temperature to warm up, frowning when he

heard noises at the bathroom door. He stepped closer to the door and chuckled when he realized that the

Terrier was scratching at it, whimpering and begging him to come out.

"It's okay, boy, I'm just taking a shower!" he called through the door, sighing when the little pattering

against the wooden surface continued, hearing a small bark.

If he opened the door the dog would just get wet again and he didn't want to towel him off after all that

effort moments ago, "You'll be fine, I'll be out in awhile," he promised before stepping away to get into

the tub and drew the curtain back.

Stefan dried his hair before wrapping the towel around his waist, opening the door to find his little friend

laying on the floor. "Hey," he cooed as he bent down, petting the Terrier's head, "Were you waiting out

here for me? Huh?" he smiled when the dog picked his head up and got one look at Stefan before standing

up and following him into the bedroom; backing up a few paces before taking a running leap and landing

on top of the bed before laying down.

Stefan paused in his dressing when he heard the distinct thump as the Terrier laid down, deciding to let the

dog have his way and sleep in bed with him tonight since he seemed so lonely. And spoiled.

Pulling his shorts and tank top on, Stefan turned the bedside lamp on before walking out to turn off the

other lights in the apartment; closing the door once he returned to the bedroom.

He crawled into bed and pulled the covers up to his chest, resting an arm behind his head as he settled in.

He smiled when the Terrier crept up closer to him from the foot of the bed and laid back down, giving his

ears another scratch as those brown eyes looked back and forth at the contents of the room.

That bath really made a world of a difference; noting how much lighter the poor dog looked now compared

to his previously dusty, oily form. Stefan rubbed the dog's back, noticing that same dark spot that

resembled soot. It was kind of like…Charcoal, strangely.

"Cole?" he mused aloud, raising an eyebrow curiously when the Terrier perked up and lifted his head.

"Do you think that's a good name? Cole?" he asked as he petted the dog's head.

Cole…Well, it seemed more fitting for a bigger dog, like a retriever; but, Stefan liked the sound of it.

"Cole?" he asked again, grinning when the dog's tail began to wag, licking Stefan's hand affectionately.

"Good boy," he murmured, "Alright, it's settled; goodnight, Cole," he replied with finality, giving one last

scratch behind Cole's ears before turning off the lamp settling down to sleep.

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The next morning, an ear piercing ringing broke the sweet silence of the apartment, startling Stefan awake

before he slapped the snooze dial between the alarm clock's bells.

He mumbled miserably when he realized he had to get up, and he will, but he wanted just five more

minutes; snuggling his pillow and enjoying the warmth the morning sun's rays provided.

Unfortunately, a certain canine had other ideas in mind…

Stefan jumped when he felt a warm, wet tongue licking his cheek, sputtering and trying to roll away from

it, "Ugh!" he cried as he tried to gently push the Terrier back, "Knock it off, Cole," he groaned.

"Alright, alright," he sighed in defeat, sitting up in bed, "I'm up," he mumbled sleepily as he rubbed his

eyes, smiling when he was greeted with those expectant brown eyes, "'Morning, buddy," he greeted as he

scratched Cole behind his ears before lifting the covers and setting his feet on the floor, taking his time as

painfully slow as possible when getting up.

Seeing as how Stefan was now waking up, Cole hopped down from the bed and walked out of the room.

"Okay," he spoke as he dropped his hands onto his lap, forcing himself to his feet before using the

bathroom. Afterwards, he wandered into the dining room and chuckled when he saw Cole sitting by his

food bowl, patiently waiting for it to be filled.

He still had to get dressed and eat breakfast, so, Cole could eat first.

Stefan walked into the kitchen and grabbed the bag of dog food and brought it over to Cole dining area,

"Here you go," he announced as he poured the bits into the dish, patting the Terrier as he dove in to eat

before returning the bag to the kitchen before taking and filling a cup of water and refilling Cole's water

bowl; setting the cup on the counter before strolling back into the bedroom to get dressed in a fresh suit.

Or, as fresh as it possibly could be, considering he usually preferred to wear his brown slacks, white shirt

and plaid jacket to work everyday. It may seem plain and boring to some, but to Stefan it was thrifty,

convenient and the attire did a good job of masking any stains he acquired from spilled coffee or dirt.

Well, it looked like he and Cole had something in common…Almost.

With a fresh pair of slacks and a shirt on, he wandered into the bathroom to retrieve his favorite tie;

slipping it over his head and fastening it before pinning it to his shirt with the brass tie clip.

Returning to the dining room, Stefan found Cole sitting next to the table with his ball in his mouth, "You

want to play, huh?" he smiled as he bent down and took the ball, tossing it at the front door before walking

into the kitchen to prepare his coffee, toast and eggs.

As he was scrambling his eggs in a pan, he heard Cole's nails clicking on the linoleum floor before setting

the tennis ball down to be tossed again. "Oh, uhh," Stefan stuttered, reaching his socked foot over to the

ball and rolling it out of the kitchen for the Terrier to chase.

Once the eggs were cooked, he turned off the stove and moved them onto a plate before putting a couple

slices of bread into the toaster, feeling Cole touch his leg, "There you go," he replied as he pushed the ball

once again, smiling as he heard the scramble of nails follow the bouncing toy.

Well, Cole seemed to be in better shape today; perkier too.

Stefan jumped when the Terrier barked at the toaster when the bread popped up, "It's okay, boy, it's just

the toast; nothing to worry about," he reassured the pup with a light pat on the head.

Placing the toast on the plate, joining the eggs, he placed a fork on top and grabbed his mug of coffee

before sitting down at the table; glancing down to see if Cole still wanted to play but was surprised at the

sight of the dog laying down near his feet. _'Tired already?'_ he mused.

He didn't feel like reading yesterday's headlines again so he opted to stare out the window as he ate, the

pleasant crunch of buttered toast drowning out the sound of passing cars.

It was fairly quiet at eight o'clock in the morning, the drive to Central should be fairly easy without the

traffic. Maybe he'll even have time to stop by Annie's café for a bag of donuts…

As he ate his salted scrambled eggs he wondered if he would get a case today; he hoped he would since he

spent yesterday going over paperwork. He didn't necessarily want to be a man with a mission, just

have something different to do once in awhile. Was that too much to ask?

Finishing his cup of coffee, Stefan stood up, being careful of his footing around Cole, and went looking for

his shoes; checking the living room, the bathroom…even looking under the bed for them.

Stefan heard a curious rumble from Cole's throat, looking up from his searching place under the bed, "I'm

looking for my shoes, Cole, have you seen them?" he asked lamely, quirking a brow when the Terrier tilted

his head in confusion. "Shoes," he spoke again, pointing at his socked feet, repressing a laugh as Cole

tickled his foot when he smelled it before wandering off, "Huh…" he mused absentmindedly before going

back to reaching under the bed.

He didn't find his shoes, but he did find his old box of baseball cards, a sock, a dollar bill and a marble –

for whatever reason – and a bunch of dust bunnies.

He really needed to do some cleaning one of these days…

Cole's bark caught his attention, standing up with a groan before jogging into the living room, "Cole?" he

called, his blue eyes searching along the floor for the dog; landing on a wagging tail who's owner's top half

was obscured by the coffee table.

"Did you find something?" he asked as he moved closer, getting down on his knees and reaching under the

dark, wooden table; his fingers brushing against a leather material before pulling it out.

It was his shoe, one of them, at least.

But where was the other one?

"Good job, Cole!" Stefan praised the Terrier, scratching behind the ears, "Can you find the other one?" he

requested, holding the shoe out for the dog to sniff. Cole got the scent and slowly crept along the floor in

search of the other shoe.

Meanwhile, Stefan tried to remember how in the world this one got shoved under there…

Funny, he didn't exactly remember when he took his shoes off; he was so damn tired last night.

But, if the shoe was under the table, the other one couldn't be too far.

Or, at least he hoped so; for all he knew, it could be on the ceiling.

Cole scrambled back, with the brown leather shoe stuck between his teeth with his tail wagging with pride.

"Where did you find that?" he asked incredulously as he took the shoe out from Cole's mouth, "You know

what, I don't want to know; I'm just glad that I got 'em," he replied dismissively, "Great job, boy," he

thanked the dog with a generous stroke on his back before slipping his shoes on and tying them securely.

"I might have to sleep in my clothes from now on, who knows…" he chuckled.

After slicking his hair back, and remembering to buckle his belt and clip on his badge, he strolled over to

the front door to grab his jacket and slip it on before placing his hat on his head.

"Okay, I think that's everything…And I'm already a half-hour late," he sighed after glancing at his watch.

He really needed to think about setting his suit out every night before bad, it would help a lot.

"Oh well, I'm sure it's not too bad," he tried to reassure himself, "Wish me luck, Cole," he called ask he

reached for the doorknob, pausing when he heard a whine and nails on the floor as Cole scurried up to him.

"Oh no, not again…" he muttered under his breath with a grimace, "Come on, boy; I gotta go to work," he

begged as he knelt down to pet the Terrier. Cole, once again, turned on the charm and looked up at Stefan

with his big, puppy-dog eyes that pleaded with him.

He didn't like the idea of leaving Cole alone, either, but it was his job, for crying out loud!

Then again…What if Cole had an accident? Or got hungry while he was gone?

There wasn't time to look for a dog sitter…

"Fuck," he cursed as rubbed his hand along his face, "Alright, I can try to bring you along but I don't know

how everyone will take it," he relented before standing up, fishing a leash from the half-full paper bag that

still sat on the floor from last night; clipping it onto Cole's collar before leading him out the door.

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"I hope this isn't a mistake…" Stefan sighed, glancing over at Cole who stood on his hind legs and

attentively watched everything pass by the passenger window. They had received a lot of stares when they

walked into Central just moments ago, a few of the secretaries even cooed at the Terrier as they passed

their desks to head into Captain Leary's office. He was half-heartedly scolded for being late to the morning

briefing, and was asked to explain 'why the hell's there a dog in the station'. Stefan had only been willing

to explain that he had found Cole and was taking care of him, and asked that the dog accompany him today

- _just_ for the day, until he found someone to watch him while he was at work.

It was a bizarre request, but Leary with his sense of humor, allowed it.

And now, here they are, driving around in Stefan's Buick.

By some stroke of luck, Leary had given him a case that involved a stolen car ring and assigned him, and

Cole, to the investigation. It was boring, and probably very little can be done about it in just one day, but at

least it got him out of the station.

"KGPL to any unit, there's a 211 in progress near Angel's Flight, Third and Hill Street. Identify," a voice

spoke over the radio. A robbery? Well, he was nearby so he might as well lend a hand.

Reaching forward, he grasped the radio on the dashboard and pressed the call button, "Car 7-Edward, I'm

on my way," he replied before placing the radio back and changing lanes, "We got a call, boy," he called

over to the Terrier, "Hopefully it's nothing we can't handle…"

Stefan knew that if he used the siren he could scare off the thieves, so silently parked his car along the

sidewalk before stepping out, "I'm going to check it out, Cole, stay here until I get back," he murmured

before shutting his door, walking around to pat the Terrier on the head as he rested his head on the window.

'Good thing I have the window rolled down, I don't know how warm it'll get today…'

He unholstered his revolver and kept it ready in case he spotted the thieves.

'_Angels' Flight, a popular tourist spot and a robbery trap,'_ he scoffed with a roll of his eyes as he walked

up the steps into the alleyway. He heard a groan and a hushed whisper, frowning in confusion as he leaned

over the side of a brick wall, his mouth falling open at the sight of a man wearing a leather jacket hunched

over a trembling figure that lay on the ground, "LAPD-!" he called out, cursing under his breath when the

man's head turned sharply to look in his direction before taking off down the alley.

Stefan broke into a run after the fleeing man, glancing at the still figure that laid on the ground against the

wall. Another man with a similar jacket, blood staining his chest area and a gun in his hand.

What? That doesn't make sense…

If that guy was the suspect then why was-

He yelped and hid behind a dumpster when the man turned and fired a shot at him before continuing to flee.

"Stop!" Stefan shouted as he got back up and chased after the suspect into what he hoped was a dead end

that he could corner him into and – hopefully, but chances were slim in cases like this – that he could force

him to surrender quietly.

Upon turning the corner, Stefan could only register a flash of black as an arm clotheslined him; the impact

on his throat knocking him off his feet and falling onto his back, leaving him sputtering for air.

Sprawled and dazed on the ground, Stefan felt his throbbing throat and coughed, trying to regain his senses.

The unmistakable sound of the hammer on a gun cocking made his blood run cold.

"Say goodnight, copper," Stefan froze at the icy finality in the man's voice that stood above him, a revolver

aimed straight at him. He struggled to breathe, his back hurt like hell and his fingers were numb at the

absolute worst time. Time froze…

The finger began to pull on the trigger, a smirk planting itself on that smug bastard's face…

The sound of his ragged breath was loud in his ears.

His eyes stun from exposure to the dry heat but he couldn't even _blink_.

And there was a faint barking in the distance, growing louder every second that his heart beat.

A flash of white and brown whizzed past him and the gunman's focus dropped.

And then everything slammed back down on him.

Stefan breathed and came to realize that Cole had come for him and was biting on the gunman's ankle,

pulling and snarling even as he was lifted up and swung about in an attempt to be tossed off.

"Get off of me you stupid mutt!" the man cried, bracing one hand on the wall to keep his balance while the

one holding the gun tried to take aim at the squirming dog that latched onto his leg.

In a movement that he barely registered as more than a blur and a dashing pipe dream, Stefan lifted his

shaking hand and aimed his revolver at the gunman and fired a bullet into his shoulder; leaping forward to

throw himself onto the other man and knock him into the asphalt.

He turned the screaming thief over onto his stomach and managed to cuff his hands before standing to his

feet, his hand resting heavily against the brick wall as he pulled himself up.

Stefan picked Cole up and carried him back to the car, managing a relieved grin as the Terrier licked his

chin as they made their way down the stairs.

"Good boy…Good boy, Cole," he thanked the dog and scratched under his chin before opening the

passenger door of the Buick and sliding inside; setting Cole down and grasping the radio to call for backup,

"Car 7-Edward…" he breathed, licking his lips, "Calling KGPL, shots fired; two suspects are down,

requesting an ambulance at Angel's Flight…Code 4…" he stated into the speaker, wiping his forehead of

perspiration. After letting go of the call button, he looked over at the Terrier that sat next to him; his paws

digging into his thigh and sniffing him as if to sense the anxiety that emanated off of the Pole.

"Hey," he panted, "Not bad for our first day together, partner," he chuckled as Cole licked his face

affectionately, scratching his ears with adrenaline filled fingers.

Paperwork didn't sound so bad right now…

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"Go get it!" Stefan called as he tossed the tennis ball across the grass, his hands on his knees as he waited

for Cole to bring it back. They've been working together as a team for roughly two weeks now; mostly

writing reports with the Terrier napping by his feet or driving and answering the occasional call.

After hearing about what happened at Angel's Flight, Leary suggested that Cole become a fully trained

police dog. The training took time, though, and the Captain was patient and kept Cole's help between them

until he was officially licensed.

Some doubted Cole's size and capability, but he knew better.

"Good boy," he praised as the ball was brought back, scratching the Terrier behind the ears.

He gave up on trying to give Cole away to a friend, since the dog seemed so insistent on staying with him,

and the feeling was mutual.

"Hey, how about a hotdog, huh?" he suggested with a grin, chuckling as Cole wagged his tail excitedly and

followed closely beside him as he led the way to the food cart.

"I think it might be time you had a bath, but…Maybe you can ease up on the splashing this time?"

There was a slim chance of that wish being granted any time soon, considering Cole had gotten used to him

and was incorrigible during bath time.

But one thing he still had trouble figuring out was how his shoes kept disappearing…

+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.

I spent all day writing this fic and I just finished writing it about a half-hour ago; a new record!

Well, new record for writing a short fic in my case; but nothing to sneeze at!

Well, the convention is over until next year when it swings around again, and it's Fall, so I'm really going

to try to crank out more stories in the coming months.

I have a few gifts, requests and a list of LANoirekinkmeme ideas to write out first, then I can start writing a

series, maybe.

A friend over on tumblr came up with the idea of Cole as a cute little dog and I adored the idea so much

that I offered to write a story about it for her birthday. Her birthday was in August so it's a bit late, but I

think she'll like it; I had fun writing it!

I'm tempted to turn this into a series, because it was fun to write about Stefan and Cole in this alternate

universe. But, a series takes time, so I don't know for sure.

Until next time~


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